(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rotary prime mover or engine including a flywheel block having at least one pair of opposed jet reaction engines therein which, when operative, cause rotation of the flywheel.
(ii) Description of the Prior Art
This general type of rotary prime mover is well known in the art. Canadian Pat. No. 117,440 issued Mar. 23, 1909 to Charles Brent provides a rotary engine comprising a suitably mounted rotatable cylinder. The cylinder has a dishcarge orifice, means for supplying a charge to the cylinder, means for igniting the charge within the cylinder, and means for baffling the ignited charge within the cylinder.
Canadian Pat. No. 252,119 issued July 28, 1925 to Donald L. Sellman provides a compressor for use in combination with an engine. The compressor is adapted to be connected to a source of fuel supply and includes means connecting the compressor with the engine cylinder. A force fan is mounted upon and is operated by the drive shaft of the engine for forcing fuel under compression to the engine. A suction fan is mounted upon and is operated by the driven shaft and is in communication with the exhaust ports of the engine to suck out the exhaust gases. A crank arm is provided in the drive shaft for operating the compressor.
Canadian Pat. No. 508,948 issued Jan. 11, 1955 to W. W. Mount is directed to a reaction burner power generator. In general, in accordance with the invention described in that patent, a comparatively large power wheel was provided having a centrally disposed shaft adapted to turn at as high a peripheral speed as is practical. On the periphery of this wheel, a plurality of reaction power cells or jet thrust burners, which may be ram jet motors or rocket motors, were mounted. Surrounding the power wheel and positioned to receive the hot exhaust gases from the jet thrust burners was an annular boiler. The heat from the exhaust gases was then utilized to generate steam. The shaft of the power wheel was connected to a suitable power converter, such as an electric generator, to convert the energy of rotation of the wheel, created by the net thrust of the jet thrust burners, into usable power. The power generated from the utilization of the exhaust gases was preferably utilized to produce added thrust upon the shaft of the power wheel or upon an associated member driven by the shaft of the power wheel. The compounding of these power outputs was said to provide a total power output appreciably greater than that obtained in conventional power generating installations from equivalent amounts of fuel.
Canadian Pat. No. 653,226 issued Dec. 4, 1962 to J. M. Carswell provides an improvement in jet reaction prime movers of the type disclosed in his U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,166 granted May 5, 1953, in which the reactions of high velocity jets are utilized to effect rotation of a motor to provide output shaft power. The patentee provided a jet reaction prime mover comprising a rotor in the form of a blade element supported to rotate about a central axis within a casing and having a combustion chamber at each end thereof. Each of the combustion chambers has oppositely disposed discharge nozzles leading therefrom to direct products of combustion from the chambers in opposite directions substantially tangentially of the rotational path of the blade element to effect rotation thereof. The casing opens to the atmosphere through a discharge throat formation. The blade element decreases smoothly and continuously in cross-sectional area. The blade element has a pair of slots therein disposed on opposite sides of the rotation axis and on opposite sides of the blade. Each slot formation extends substantially from the axis of rotation to adjacent to the combustion chamber discharge nozzles on its respective side of the blade. Finally, each of the slots is progressively wider and deeper along its length outwardly from the rotation axis and each terminates at its outward end in a wall defining one wall of the adjacent combustion chamber discharge nozzle.
Canadian Pat. No. 967,380 issued May 13, 1975 to M. Eskeli was alleged to provide a simplified and efficient apparatus for generating power. The device for generating power responsive to flow of fluid therethrough includes (a) a power shaft journalled for rotation in a suitable support for transmission of power; (b) a particularly defined rotating compressing centrifuge rotor equipped with a plurality of reaction nozzles carried on such shaft for generating the power; and (c) a casing sealingly surrounding the compressing centrifuge rotor, the casing defining a passageway surrounding the compressing centrifuge rotor for collection of the effluent fluid.
Kitchens, U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,399 patented Apr. 16, 1963, provides a rotary jet engine. Such rotary jet engine comprises a main housing having air inlet and outlet passages, an output shaft journalled in the main housing, and a rotor secured on the output shaft and having outwardly projecting compressor vanes. An inner housing is rotatably mounted on the shaft and has air inlet means opening into the main housing adjacent the air inlet passages, with a space being provided between the inner housing and the rotor. Outwardly projecting rigid conduits are secured to the inner housing and they communicate with the space between the inner housing and the rotor. Respective jet combustion chambers are mounted on the ends of the conduits, the chambers having venturi air intake elements communicating with the conduits and having air scoop portions at their forward ends communicating with the venturi elements. Fuel ignition means are provided in the jet combustion chambers. The jet combustion chambers have exhaust conduits at their rear ends adjacent the outlet passages, with the chambers being positioned substantially normal to radii of the output shaft, in order to effect rotation of the chambers by jet reaction. Means are provided which gearingly couple the inner housing to the output shaft. Finally, means are provided to admit liquid fuel into the space between the inner housing and the rotor.
Olenger, U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,533 patented Aug. 25, 1964, provided an improved rotary internal combustion engine. The rotary engine comprises a stator having an enclosed compartment within which a cylindrically shaped rotor structure may turn. The rotor structure includes a number of combustion chambers each having an exhaust nozzle directed toward the rotor periphery at an angle such that exhaust gases from the nozzle develop a rotation producing, thrust component. The combustion chambers are charged with a controllable combustible gas which is ignited intermittently to provide power and control at low engine speeds. The inner peripheral surface of the stator compartment includes thrust reaction surfaces which gradually give way to exhaust ports which extend from the inner compartment to the outer surface of the stator in the vicinity of each of the reaction surfaces. Means are provided to inject fuel into each combustion chamber and to ignite the fuel at the instant its respective exhaust nozzle is directed against one of the periodically disposed reaction surfaces. At ignition, the initial burning of the gases in the combustion chamber causes a pressure transient which propagates through the nozzle and against the reaction surfaces of the stator to induce rotation of the rotor element. As rotation continues and the gases in the combustion chamber become entirely burned, they are permitted escape in increasing quantity through the variable opening to the exhaust port. This was alleged to result in a jet-type thrust in the rotor which enhances the initial reaction effect.
Romoli, U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,787 patented Nov. 24, 1970, provides a self-compressed continuous circular internal combustion engine, requiring only an auxiliary starting means for bringing it to a starting speed of rotation, thereafter the engine keeping self-compressed and when hot also self-ignited, and operating as a pure jet or pulse-jet engine. The patentee provided a rotary internal combustion engine of the toroidal type having combustion chambers with jet exhausts arranged to produce rotary movement within a continuous toroidal cavity. The engine includes means for radially feeding a substantial quantity of air at essentially atmospheric pressure into the toroidal cavity and directly into the path of the rotating combustion chambers. The rotating combustion chambers are so designed that they substantially fill the cross-sectional area of the toroidal cavity. They also have venturi-shaped inlets to impart increased velocity to the inflowing air, and subsequent expansion of the inflowing air, thereby decreasing its velocity, with a corresponding rapid and substantial increase in pressure. Means are provided for burning fuel in the compressed air in the chamber. Finally, means are provided for rotating the rotating combustion chambers to a sufficient rotary speed to provide a continuously operating rotary internal combustion engine, whereby the rotary motion of the chambers and venturi inlets, and the walls of the toroidal cavity provide the necessary substantial compression of the inflowing air.
Miyada U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,888 patented May 18, 1976, provided a coaxial rotary engine which has comparatively small number of moving and stationary parts. It is made in a compact configuration, which comprises a pair of rotors, which contain pistons and primary compressing chambers in their peripheral sections. A stationary central cylindrical wall is provided that supports and holds leak-proof gates which open and close at proper times without direct human or electronic help, and against which the pistons compress gases. High pressure compressing chambers are provided with automatic inlet and outlet ports. Compact combustors are provided with automatic ignition devices. Each of its pistons is constructed in a long arcuate shape. A passageway connects the opening to a compressing chamber located inside the piston. An automatic outlet port opens at regular intervals to release compressed gases into the combustor located further inside each piston. After being compressed by the action of each piston against a closed gate and a closed outlet, the gases pass from the compressing chambers, via an automatic outlet, into each combustor, where they are ignited. The resulting expanding gases rushing out of the combustor's terminal opening strike a closed gate, and the rotor, which holds the piston which in turn contains the combustor, spins by reaction. Thus, the kinetic energy of the expanding gases is converted into a usable rotary motion.
In spite of these many rotary engines, the structure of the ram jet combustion chamber has received scant attention.
Canadian Pat. No. 616,597 issued Mar. 21, 1961 to H. L. Magill provides a radial flow, single stage, reaction turbine. The patented reaction turbine includes a rotor having a central hub chamber. A pure reaction nozzle is mounted on the rotor at the outer region thereof and projects outwardly beyond the periphery of the rotor, the nozzle being provided with a radially directed fluid inlet and a pair of fluid outlets in communication with the fluid inlet, the fluid outlets being directed generally perpendicular to the radial direction of the inlet and facing in opposite directions. Means are provided for selectively closing the fluid outlets of the nozzle. Means are provided for establishing communication between the fluid inlet and the central hub chamber. Finally, means are provided for supplying motive fluid under pressure to the central hub chamber.
Canadian Pat. No. 882,985 issued Oct. 12, 1971 to R. C. Evans provided an improved ram jet engine which has an inlet for capturing ram fluid such as air and a nozzle for discharge of fluid from the engine. The engine comprises a housing which has an upstream end and a downstream end. Plug means extend from the downstream end of the housing. At least one inlet duct provides a flow path for ram fluid from the aircraft inlet to the downstream end of the housing. The outlet end of the inlet duct generally conforms to and joins the downstream end of the housing whereby the housing is positioned outside of the flow path formed by the duct. A generally annular duct extends from the juncture of the housing and the inlet duct to form, in combination with the plug means, an annular flow path of progressively varying area for pressurizing the ram fluid. Means are provided for increasing the energy level of the pressurized ram fluid. Outlet duct means, downstream of the annular duct, accelerate the fluid for discharge through the aircraft nozzle to produce a propulsive thrust. The plug, therefore, is supported outside of the inlet duct flow path and the area of the plug exposed to the ram fluid is minimized.
Adams, U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,129 patented Sept. 12, 1967, provided a rocket nozzle which included a set of rocket motor exhaust nozzles or nozzle portions, each of which has a given axial thrust level which is different from the axial thrust level of each of the other nozzles or portions of the set. The total effective exhaust area of each nozzle must be equal to a fixed value. The set of exhaust nozzles includes a plurality of interchangeable conical members removably mounted downstream and spaced from the throat portion of a rocket motor exhaust nozzle with the apex of the conical portion facing toward and being coaxial with the nozzle throat. The particular thrust level desired is achieved by merely selecting the proper conical member and assembling it on mounting means formed as part of the exhaust end of the rocket motor.
De la Foute et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,094 patented Sept. 1, 1974, provided a ramjet engine having a plurality of combustors mounted on a rotary carrier and retractable air and exhaust deflectors to permit operation at subsonic speed.
Ghougasion, U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,239 patented Oct. 13, 1970, provided a reaction thrust engine operating as a pulse jet below an upper speed limit, is converted to ram jet operation above this speed limit in the subsonic and supersonic speed ranges by variable geometry intake means and rearward shift of a flow restricting nozzle throat formation. A check valve assembly necessary for pulse jet operation is displaced from an operative position at the entrance to the combustion zone in order to accommodate ram jet operation.
(iii) Deficiencies of the Prior Art
Thus, internal combustion engines hitherto devised still have considerable drawbacks, in spite of the numerous studies and improvements made thereto. Rotary engines provided up to now incorporated many inconveniences of seal, high consumption, poor pickup, wear of many parts which inconveniences have not yet been overcome. Turbine engines were found to be unsuitable for an application on conventional motor vehicles because of their cumbersomeness, consumption, necessity of sound and heat shielding parts, and the impossibility of operating under certain minimum dimensions and power. Jet engines for motor vehicles provided other problems, e.g., high fuel consumption, noise, and high power output required for their starting. Both turbine and jet engines are not suitable for adaptation to motor vehicles, due to the necessity of providing air compression devices and many shielding members with their attendant increase in weight, size and costs.
Rotary engines, as distinguished from the more conventional reciprocating type engines, operate on the principle of the direct action or reaction of expanding gases upon a rotary element in a manner which causes it to turn. A major advantage of rotary engines over reciprocating type engines accrues from their inherent structural simplicity, whereby the noise, wear and complexity caused by the various moving parts of reciprocating engines, such as reciprocating valves, pistons, rocker arms, etc. are eliminated. A well-known type of rotary engine is the gas turbine, but gas turbines, in their present state of development, are incapable of producing useful output power except at extremely high speeds. This results in limited application as well as unusually severe design restrictions. A further disadvantage of the gas turbine is the difficulty with which its speed may be controlled.